. >> didn't nancy pelosi say today they would have milestones along the way and that there might be miniature goals as we get to the end? >> yes. >> how do you see that playing out? >> well, i think that this, again -- gwen: is this part of the public? >> this is a sign they have to get this done. there is nobody right now on either side of the aisle who wants to see this happen. i think what you're seeing when harry reid, for instance, is standing there and practically promising that we're going to get a deal before december 31, he stood up there and said that today. they mean business. >> right. >> there are lots of pieces to this. i think what they agreed to today is divide into pieces. how do we deal with the end of the year problem on spending, what do we do about a longer term deficit thing. they're trying to set up a framework to get it done. gwen: the sequester is what they're going to talk about down the road? >> they're probably going to find a settlement for this year, whether they do $100 billion down payment on deficit reduction, which is one year's worth of the sequester while t